Have you ever found yourself making excuses as to why you can't live your desires? Common excuses like, "I am too old", "I am too shy", "I am not skinny enough", or "I am not good enough". These are excuses we use to avoid making the necessary effort to achieve our desires.
There are two main reasons we are afraid to live our desires. The first is that our desires sound irrational. Many of us find ourselves feeling very confused because our desires do not make sense to us nor the people around us. We compare our big dreams to the small image we have of ourselves and conclude that the things we desire make no sense considering there is no way we could deserve that much. Our desires are not always rational, but these idiosyncratic desires is why there will always be enough for everyone, because each of us wants a different version of the things that life has to offer
The second reason for our fears is that we believe that it is impossible for us to achieve our desires. We look at our past and present and are convinced that they determine all that is possible for us now and in the future. If we cannot see a direct path to achieving our goal we mistakenly believe that this is a sign that what we want is impossible. As a result we give up on our desires without taking any action towards achieving it.
So do you get over your fears? One of the first steps you can take is to acknowledge all your desires. It is not o.k. to ignore your small irrational desires. If you do, you will ignore the big rational desires too. Whenever you have a desire, stop and instead of brushing it aside literally give it a voice by saying it out loud. Repeat that desire to yourself several times as you go through your day and let it sink in. You will find that after 2 days of repeating that desire to yourself over and over it no longer seems irrational and you are actually getting comfortable with the thought. If you keep saying it to yourself for a few more days, your desire will seem quite normal and from that space you can decide objectively whether you want to pursue it or not. In fact, it is more than likely that after a few days, ideas and or opportunities will start coming your way to help you make your dreams a reality.
The second way of dealing with the fear is to understand that your fears are not there to discourage you; your fears are just a signal that you are entering new territory that will require you to expand and grow. The truth is your fears may never go away. Therefore, if you never act in spite of your fears, you are bound to continue living an unfulfilling and dissatisfying life. You can't say it is impossible to achieve a dream if you have not taken steps to make it a reality. Thank your fears for letting you know that it is time for you to grow and then challenge yourself to acknowledge your most burning desires and take the steps necessary to make them real.
